Crompton Primary School Ofsted Report

Full report

What does the school need to do to improve further?

• Ensure that governors have sufficient information to hold leaders more stringently to account for their use of the pupil premium funding and the difference that this makes to pupils’ outcomes.
• Improve the quality of teaching and learning further by ensuring that pupils in lower key stage 2 have more opportunities to practise their mathematical reasoning and problem-solving skills.
• Improve the quality of phonics teaching so that a greater proportion of pupils achieve the expected standards in the Year 1 phonics check.

Inspection judgements

Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

• Since the previous inspection, the school has experienced a time of turbulence due to changes to staffing and leadership. As a result, the quality of education declined. Since the current headteacher’s arrival in April 2016, there have continued to be some changes to staffing and governance. However, she has established a new, motivated senior leadership team, which has helped to improve the quality of teaching and learning, particularly in writing. She has ensured that all leaders share an ambitious vision for the school.
• Leaders have ensured that standards in reading and writing have been improved in recent years. New ways of working and higher expectations have secured pupils’ good progress in these subjects.
• Leaders have reacted positively to the disappointing dip in pupils’ progress and attainment in mathematics at the end of key stage 2 in 2018. They have put in place effective measures to ensure that pupils develop their reasoning and problem-solving skills, particularly in upper key stage 2. However, they have been less successful in ensuring that those pupils in lower key stage 2 benefit from similar opportunities to strengthen their mathematical understanding and skills.
• Following the results in 2018, the local authority offered targeted support from another school which leaders have used to good effect. Teachers have been supported well and provided with opportunities to work alongside staff from another school to improve their teaching, including in mathematics.
• The headteacher has recruited staff well. She has matched the interests and qualifications of staff to the curriculum subjects that they lead. This has led to highly motivated staff who understand their areas of responsibility well. Staff feel empowered. They are setting high expectations for pupils’ achievements in a range of subjects across the curriculum.
• Senior leaders have designed a curriculum that develops pupils’ skills and knowledge in a systematic way. In mathematics, the sequencing of learning has been well-thought- out so that pupils have opportunities to consolidate their calculation skills before moving on to apply them in different situations. In other subjects, topics engage pupils and enable them to study subjects in depth. For example, in Year 6, pupils develop a rich understanding of the causes of the First World War. Pupils enjoy their work. The curriculum, and the way in which teachers deliver it, has a strong effect on the progress that pupils make.
• Leaders have been effective in improving pupils’ behaviour by reviewing the way in which instances of poor behaviour are managed. They have also put in place clear rewards systems to promote pupils’ positive conduct and attitudes to learning.
• The leadership of provision for pupils with SEND is very strong. Since taking up the role two years ago, the special educational needs coordinator (SENCo) has had a direct effect on raising standards for these pupils. Pupils’ needs are identified well and inform clear targets for pupils’ attainment.
• Pupils are prepared well for life in modern Britain. Activities are woven through the curriculum to enable pupils to put British values into practice, such as participating in debates. Leaders have ensured that pupils understand what it means to be equal and to respect differences between each other.
• The physical education and sport funding is used well to provide specialist sports coaching. The school has a range of after-school clubs and the funding is enabling more pupils to be active and lead a healthy lifestyle.
• There continues to be some staff movement which has hampered leaders’ attempts to improve the teaching of phonics in key stage 1. Leaders have introduced a new and consistent approach to teaching phonics. However, the changes in staffing mean that this is not delivered consistently well.

Governance of the school

• Although leaders use the additional funding for disadvantaged pupils well, the information provided to governors is not specific enough. It does not allow governors to evaluate how effective leaders’ actions have been to improve disadvantaged pupils’ progress and attainment. Governors do not have a clear enough oversight of this funding to be able to hold leaders to account for its use. Although these pupils make progress that is similar to others in the school, it is unclear as to whether they make the best progress possible.
• In contrast, the information that governors receive about other aspects of the school’s work provides them with a good overview. They have an accurate understanding of the school’s strengths and weaknesses. Governors are fully involved in reviewing the school’s vision and setting targets for school improvement for the year ahead. This ensures that governors are aware of leaders’ priorities and how these affect pupils’ outcomes.
• The minutes of governors’ meetings show that they ask probing questions of leaders on school improvement issues. They challenge leaders about trends in attainment and progress data at the end of each key stage to better understand the effects of leaders’ actions to improve the school.

Safeguarding

• The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.
• Leaders have created a culture of vigilance in the school by ensuring that governors and staff receive regular training. They receive frequent updates about safeguarding matters. Staff and governors are knowledgeable about the local risks to pupils and they are well placed to spot any concerns about pupils’ safety.
• Leaders have ensured that there is early help available to support pupils and their families when the need occurs. They are proactive in supporting parents and carers who are positive about the school. The school’s own survey of parents’ views showed that all who responded were confident that their children are safe at school.

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

• Staff have excellent relationships with pupils which foster an atmosphere of mutual respect. This ensures that pupils focus well on their work in class. Lessons are typified by a flurry of activity and productive noise which create a buzz about learning. Pupils enjoy their work because teachers plan activities that are engaging and relevant. Teachers’ good use of questions enables pupils to deepen their thinking.
• The teaching of phonics in Year 1 does not enable pupils to master the sounds, and the letters they represent, in order to read and write effectively. This is largely due to a lack of a consistent approach because of staffing changes. However, pupils become increasingly fluent and expressive readers as they move throughout the school. Although pupils’ awareness of phonics in Year 1 remains limited, this does not prevent them from moving on to become competent readers. In key stage 2, pupils have frequent opportunities to focus on specific skills such as deduction and inference to aid their comprehension and to read increasingly complex texts.
• In writing, pupils of all abilities are supported well to achieve. There is a systematic approach to the teaching of grammar, punctuation and spelling which results in pupils displaying good punctuation in their work. Pupils have opportunities to write at length and across a range of different purposes, including in their topic work.
• In mathematics, current pupils make strong progress in their calculation skills. In 2018, however, pupils’ results at the end of key stage 2 dipped because their reasoning skills were not as well developed. Teachers have received effective support to develop their teaching skills in mathematics. As a result, they now offer a range of opportunities for pupils to solve problems and explain the mathematics behind their calculations. For example, pupils in Year 6 can clearly explain how they have corrected their own and others’ misconceptions. However, in lower key stage 2 this improvement is at an early stage of development.
• The work of pupils with SEND shows that their starting points vary considerably. Teachers have a good understanding of each pupil’s next steps. This enables pupils to demonstrate strong progress in their reading, writing and mathematics. When reading, pupils with SEND are articulate and clear. They use expression well to convey meaning and they read challenging texts fluently.
• Teachers ensure that pupils’ topic work covers subjects in depth. Learning is sequenced well to build on pupils’ prior knowledge, such as in Year 6 where pupils’ design technology work on air raid shelters shows a well-thought-out progression from testing the strengths of different materials through to designing and evaluating their own shelter. There is also evidence of progression across all year groups, such as the way in which investigative skills are taught in science.

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Good

Personal development and welfare

• The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare is good.
• Pupils are positive about the school. They understand and demonstrate the qualities that they need to be a successful learner.
• Pupils know about the different forms of bullying and are aware of the dangers of social media. Pupils describe how some issues have been exacerbated by the use of social media outside of the school day. Pupils report this to staff because they know their concerns will be acted upon. They have been taught how to keep themselves safe by not sharing their personal details and by limiting their contacts when using mobile devices. They understand how to keep themselves safe when online.
• Pupils know that they can approach any member of staff. Pupils trust the adults within school to listen to their concerns and they cite the caring nature of staff as the main reason that they feel safe when they are at school.
• Staff promote pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development well. For example, pupils in Year 4 describe the differences and similarities of the Muslim and Christian faiths as part of their work to respect different faiths and cultures. Pupils also have a good understanding of equalities and are encouraged well to celebrate each other’s differences.
• Throughout the curriculum, pupils are encouraged to adopt healthy lifestyles. For example, Year 6 pupils in science learn about lung capacity and the dangers of smoking, while in Year 4 pupils learn about the digestive system and how to eat healthily. Pupils also know the effects of exercise on their body.
• Pupils develop their understanding of British values through opportunities such as visiting the local council chambers as part of their work on democracy. They have also worked with the local police to understand the importance of the rule of law.

Behaviour

• The behaviour of pupils is good.
• When leaders reviewed their approach to handling pupils’ behaviour in the 2016/17 academic year, there was a spike in the number of fixed-term exclusions. This was because the new expectations meant that behaviour that was tolerated in the past was no longer accepted. These actions have resulted in improvements to pupils’ conduct and a marked reduction in exclusions, which are now rare.
• Pupils are attentive in lessons. They work well together and focus on their learning when working with others.
• Pupils say that behaviour is good, and that staff deal with incidents of poor behaviour well.
• Pupils behave well at playtimes and when moving around school. Older pupils apply for the privilege of being a role model for younger pupils at lunchtimes. They relish their responsibilities to act as play leaders.
• The systems for managing behaviour are comprehensive. Regular checks by leaders allow them to address any emerging trends in behaviour and to identify any pupils who may need additional support.
• Pupils’ attendance is similar to the national average. Persistent absence is lower than the national average but occurs when parents take their children out of school to go on holiday. The school follows the local authority’s guidance to promote pupils’ attendance at school.

Outcomes for pupils

Good

• Pupils’ attainment and progress in reading at the end of key stage 2 over the last three years have been similar to the national average. What is more, there has been a positive increase in the proportion of pupils achieving the higher standard over this time. In key stage 1, attainment in reading in 2018 was also broadly average.
• The proportion of pupils achieving the Year 1 phonics check has declined over time. It was below the national average in 2018. Current pupils have varied success in acquiring phonics skills and knowledge due to inconsistency in teaching.
• In writing, pupils’ work from across the school shows that they currently make good progress. In 2018, progress at the end of key stage 2 was well above average, continuing a three-year trend of improvement. At the end of key stage 1, the proportion of pupils attaining the expected standard in this subject was above the national average.
• Although leaders predicted a dip in mathematics at the end of key stage 2 in 2018, they were disappointed by the test results. Last year, pupils’ progress at the end of key stage 2 was below average in mathematics. The steps that leaders have taken since have seen a dramatic improvement in pupils’ progress in upper key stage 2. However, this is not being replicated as well in other year groups, especially in lower key stage 2.
• Pupils’ attainment at the expected standard in mathematics at the end of key stage 1 was above the national average. This is because of leaders’ prior work on strengthening pupils’ calculation skills.
• Disadvantaged pupils make the same progress as other pupils of similar abilities in reading, writing and in mathematics. In their reading, disadvantaged pupils progress well to read accurately and with growing fluency and expression, as do other pupils. However, because leaders do not evaluate the use of the pupil premium in enough depth, it is unclear if this is as a direct effect of the use of additional funding or whether pupils’ progress could be enhanced even further.
• For pupils with SEND, effective support is enabling this group of pupils to progress well, sometimes from very low starting points. As a direct effect of the high expectations that the SENCo has instilled among the staff, teachers’ assessments of pupils’ attainment have shown a significant improvement for current pupils in the school. The work in pupils’ books confirms that these pupils are making strong gains in their learning.
• Pupils’ work shows that they achieve well in subjects across the curriculum because of the opportunities that they have to build on their prior learning to develop specific skills and knowledge in each subject.

Early years provision Good

• Despite only taking over the responsibility very recently, the early years leader has a good awareness of the strengths and weaknesses of the provision. She displays the enthusiasm and child-centred approach that is symptomatic of other leaders at the school.
• Children enter the early years with skills and knowledge that are broadly typical for their age. However, there is a growing minority of children who come into the school with skills that are below this. Children make good progress in the Nursery and Reception Years. At the end of Reception in 2018, the proportion of children who achieved a good level of development was above the national average. This ensures that children are prepared well for the challenges that they will face when they move into Year 1.
• Relationships between staff and pupils are excellent. Teachers’ expectations are appropriate for children’s age and stage of development. For example, in phonics Nursery children are taught their first steps in learning sounds by practising spoken language and reciting nursery rhymes. In Reception, similar arrangements are in place to ensure that children progress well by matching work to children’s needs. Children gain a good understanding of how sounds help them to read and write sentences.
• Teachers assess children’s progress well. The work in children’s learning records evidences this. Children develop their writing and number skills well. Their books show clear progress from the start of the year.
• No time is wasted when engaging children in their learning. For example, they sing songs and rhymes while preparing for lunch. Children’s behaviour and respect for others are clear in their actions.
• When working in different areas, children show concentration and focus. For example, when working to develop their fine motor coordination children show perseverance to complete their tasks. The environment is well resourced and welcoming.
• Children enjoy their learning. They are supported well by nurturing staff who question them effectively to develop their skills. The relationships between children and staff have a pronounced effect on children’s learning as they feel safe to explore the well-ordered environment. Leaders ensure that the statutory welfare requirements for the early years are met. Children are kept safe.
• Parents are engaged effectively by staff from the time that children join the school. They are provided with information at special evenings to look at the different ways that they can help their children at home with their learning. The school supports children and their parents by engaging other agencies to offer early help where necessary to help families to get back on track following difficult periods in their lives.

School details

Unique reference number Local authority Inspection number 133286 Oldham 10090534 This inspection was carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005. The inspection was also deemed a section 5 inspection under the same Act. Type of school Primary School category Age range of pupils Gender of pupils Community 3 to 11 Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 232 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Headteacher Mr Steven Smith Mrs Lara Beaumont Telephone number 01706 844134 Website Email address www.crompton.oldham.sch.uk info@crompton.oldham.sch.uk Date of previous inspection 6–7 December 2011

Information about this school

• Crompton Primary School is an average-sized primary school.
• Since the previous inspection there have been a number of changes to the school staff, including at senior leadership level.
• The majority of pupils are White British.
• The school has extended its Nursery provision in 2018/19 to include both 15-hour and 30-hour placements.
• The proportion of disadvantaged pupils is broadly similar to other schools nationally.
• The proportions of pupils who have an education, health and care plan and those who receive support for SEND are above average.
• The school has been provided with support from another local school on behalf of Oldham local authority.

Information about this inspection

• Inspectors observed teaching and learning in each class, including joint observations with the headteacher. They examined a range of pupils’ work in writing, mathematics and in subjects across the curriculum. Inspectors heard a sample of pupils read from across the school, including pupils with SEND.
• Inspectors spoke with pupils formally in groups and informally around the school.
• Inspectors observed pupils’ behaviour during lessons, at lunchtimes and when pupils were moving around the school.
• Meetings were held with governors, senior leaders and middle leaders to discuss different aspects of leadership, the design of the school’s curriculum and safeguarding.
• Inspectors considered a range of documentation, such as the minutes of the governing body meetings, the school’s evaluation of its own performance and areas for development. They also looked at attendance and behaviour records.
• Inspectors reviewed safeguarding documentation, considered how this related to daily practice, and spoke with staff and pupils.

Inspection team

Steve Bentham, lead inspector John Littler Timothy Sherriff

Her Majesty’s Inspector Ofsted Inspector Ofsted Inspector